Vinous (94)

The 2011 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is just starting to drink well. Fresh and mineral, the 2011 also looks to have plenty of life ahead of it. Chalk, lemon confit and white flowers all grace this open-knit, curvy Charlemagne. The 2011 has really softened in recent years. Time in the glass brings out the layers in this very pretty and expressive Charlemagne from Bonneau du Martray.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (94-96)

(50% vendange entier; two-thirds new oak): Bright, dark red. Captivating nose combines raspberry, red licorice, iron, dried rose, mocha and minerals. all lifted by a high-pitched floral quality. Wonderfully juicy, intense and delineated, showing great energy but also considerable medicinal reserve. Silky and utterly weightless wine with great delicacy and outstanding balance. The rising, highly perfumed, extremely long aftertaste is like a wake-up call for the taste buds. The tannins here are remarkably suave.

Wine Spectator (94)

A ripe style, displaying lime, apricot, peach, baked apple, toast, spice and caramel flavors. Creamy in texture, leaving a tactile sensation on the lengthy finish. Best from 2016 through 2027. 100 cases imported. -BS

Vinous (94+)

Pale, bright yellow. A meaty nuance mostly blew off to reveal complex scents of orange peel, dried apricot, almond, caramel and spicecake. Rich and sweet but with excellent acid cut to the dense flavors of citrus fruits, spices and crushed-stone minerality. Really echoes and builds on the back end, saturating the palate without leaving any impression of heaviness. Give this some time in a decanter or, better yet, lay it down for five or six years. An outstanding showing.

Wine Advocate (89-91+)

An opaque ruby/purple color is accompanied by notes of creme de cassis and licorice intermixed with notions of truffles and graphite. Rich, full-bodied and concentrated, the 2011 Boyd-Cantenac merits serious interest. Moreover, it often sells at a very realistic price, so readers take note. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2030.

Wine Advocate (94)

This fully mature, gorgeous 2003 Branaire Ducru possesses silky tannins, lots of cedary, spice box, floral, black cherry, forest floor and velvety leather-like notes, full body, and an opulent, complex yet elegant style. A beauty of complexity, richness and finesse, it should continue to drink well for another 5-6 years.

Wine Enthusiast (91)

A perfumed wine, it has ripe tannins, soft and full black currant flavors and a solid structure. A dark, brooding character indicates the aging potential. Drink this concentrated wine from 2017.

Vinous (94)

Lavender, mint, sage, smoke, tobacco and plums are all laced together in the 2011 Barolo Brea Vigna Ca'Mia. As always, the Ca'Mia is a decidedly vertical Barolo built on a spine of persistent tannin, but in 2011 there is a little bit of added polish that serves to soften the contours. Tucked off the main road, Brea remains one of the least well-known vineyards in Serralunga. The 2011 is a great wine to start exploring some of the nuances of this site. A huge finish that brings together power and voluptuousness captures the pure radiance of the year.

Vinous (94)

The 2011 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is sweet, floral and wonderfully expressive, all Brovia signatures. Silky tannins provide the backdrop as this sensual, polished Barolo shows off its class. Perfumed notes are woven throughout, but it is the wine's exceptional textural finesse that stands out most. Hints of hard candy, mint, cinnamon and succulent red cherries add the final shades of dimension. In 2011, the Rocche stands out for its total sense of class.

Wine Advocate (93+)

The 2011 Barolo Villero exhibits a full body and thick concentration. Ultimately, this is one of my favorite wines from Brovia in this vintage. I love the muscle and heft that the wine shows, and the fact it delivers that power with the utmost elegance. Nothing is heavy or overdone here. You really get a sense of the quality of fruit achieved in the Villero vineyard. The wine shows integrated tannins and impeccable dark fruit balance.

The Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos du Fonteny 2011 is a riveting exhibit from the esteemed house of Bruno Clair. Constructed within the notable terroir of Gevrey-Chambertin, in the heart of Burgundy, this wine proudly represents its Premier Cru status. The 2011 vintage seduces the palate with a harmonious blend of black fruits, ripe berries and lighter floral notes, underpinned by the quintessential minerality that is a testament to its chalky-clay soil origin.

Bruno Clair, a benchmark Burgundian producer, exhibits masterful traditional winemaking methods, from hand-harvested grapes to aging in French oak barrels for 12 to 18 months. This meticulously crafted bottle, rightly named 'Clos du Fonteny', is well-regarded for its depth, elegance and remarkable ageing potential. A premier choice for collectors and enthusiasts seeking the refinement of Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos du Fonteny 2011.

James Suckling (98)

The nose alone on this is reason enough to buy this. Rich and decadent with dried meats, dried mushrooms, ripe fruits, all tied together by flowers and a light cigar box character. The palate isn't bad either, loads of dried fruits, full-bodied and rich. Total decadence with a wild character. Makes me smile.

James Suckling (99)

This is an incredible wine that reminds me of the perfect 2000 Barolo Rocche de Falletto. Flowers, spices, leather and animals. Decadent. Dried mushrooms. Then changes to Japanese ginger and lemon peel. Full-bodied but refined and so long. It has layers of fruit and power. So refined. Ripe and intense. Perfect balance and harmony. It will be released in 2016.

Vinous (96+)

My guess is that one day Giacosa's Barbaresco Rabajà will be viewed as the most successful of his 2000 Barbareschi. I loved the wine's structure and power. Endless layers of mineral and balsamic-infused fruit caressed the palate through to the finish. Wow!

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

I was surprised to see the 2003 show so well. It was terrific.

Vinous (97)

I have had mixed experiences with Bruno Giacosa’s 2000 Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto, but this bottle, from a case I purchased on release, is absolutely stellar. Intensely sweet, floral aromas soar from the glass. Radiant, open-knit and super-expressive, the Riserva captures all the best qualities of the vintage. It has been a few years since I last tasted the 2000. In that time, the wine appears to have barely budged at all, which will come as welcome news to readers who own it. The 2000 Riserva doesn’t quite reach the heights of the truly epic Giacosa wines of the era, but it comes close, especially on this night. I can only hope that future bottles show this well.

Vinous (97)

I have had mixed experiences with Bruno Giacosa’s 2000 Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto, but this bottle, from a case I purchased on release, is absolutely stellar. Intensely sweet, floral aromas soar from the glass. Radiant, open-knit and super-expressive, the Riserva captures all the best qualities of the vintage. It has been a few years since I last tasted the 2000. In that time, the wine appears to have barely budged at all, which will come as welcome news to readers who own it. The 2000 Riserva doesn’t quite reach the heights of the truly epic Giacosa wines of the era, but it comes close, especially on this night. I can only hope that future bottles show this well.

James Suckling (100)

This reminds me of the perfect 2000. Aromas of blackberries, violets, smoke and sliced plums. Subtle, classic beauty for the nose. Full-bodied yet tight and refined. It starts off very slowly, but the finish comes after one minute of tasting. Spellbinding wine. So savory and salty. Extraordinary. 7,000 bottles.

Wine Advocate (96)

The newly released 2003 NPU Nec Plus Ultra is only the fifth edition since 1990. The ambitious prestige cuvée from Bruno Paillard is only produced in great vintages (so far 1990, 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2003), and only from grand cru villages grapes; the ratio is always 50/50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The first fermentation of the must (only the tête de cuve is used, but that's how it is in all the other BP cuvées) takes place in small oak barrels, where the wine spends ten months. No less than ten years have to pass by until the wine is disgorged as Extra Brut (there is three grams of dosage) and kept in the cellar for another year. This 2003 was disgorged in March 2015. Total production is 4,200 bottles. The wine has an intense yellow-golden color. It is very intense, rich and complex on the beautifully matured nose, where a bouquet of yellow and dried fruit aromas, along with Turkish honey, pistachio, almonds and torrone is displayed. Pure, fresh and mineral on the palate, this 2003 has lots of energy and finesse, is full of tension and develops a very persistent length. A fascinating, atypical 2003 vintage Champagne from that extremely dry and hot year.

Vinous (95+)

An absolute stunner, the 2011 Barbaresco Riserva Asili, emerges from the glass with a mélange of exotic, beguiling aromatics. Lavender, pine, rose petal, savory herbs and melted road tar form a fabric of nearly indescribable beauty. Proprietor Giulio Grasso elected to leave the wine on its skins until the end of November. Power and finesse have never been so seamless here. Although just bottled, the 2011 Asili Riserva is a great wine in the making.

Wine Advocate (94)

Tasted from an ex-château bottle at BI Wine & Spirits Calon-Segur dinner in London. The 2000 Calon Segur is one of those wines that reminds you how great the millennial vintage could be. Now at fifteen years old, it has a brilliant, vivacious red berry nose infused with ash and cigar box aromas. The detail here is a beguiling and it just sings Saint Estèphe. The palate is medium-bodied with dense, firm tannin that provide a rigid backbone, but it is swathed in copious tobacco-drenched black fruit and a superb line of acidity. It finishes with a twist of bitter cherry on the finish that completes what is a deeply impressive Calon-Ségur; it might just outclass the 2005. Tasted March 2015.

Wine Spectator (95)

Loads of crushed berries, with mineral, lightly toasted oak and licorice. Full-bodied, with big, velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. This is the sleeper of the vintage. Best after 2010. 17,500 cases made.

Vinous - Neal Martin (92)

The 2011 Calon-Ségur has a light, tertiary bouquet, quite tight at first, hints of dried blood coming through with time, a little toasty in style. This gains complexity and is quite appealing. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine grain tannins, a keen line of acidity with one of the more refined finished in its peer group. This is well-crafted and certainly à point. Very fine. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting.

Vinous (93)

In many vintages, Giroud's Chambertin needs time, but the 2011 looks like it will drink a bit earlier than many other recent versions. Soft and silky to the core, the 2011 graces the palate with striking purity and translucence. This is a decidedly feminine Chambertin that impresses for its balance.

From the renowned vineyards of Lalande-de-Pomerol, Canon Chaigneau 2011 is an exquisite testament to French viniculture. Meticulously curated by the Chaigneau family, its superior quality is a reflection of centuries-old viticulture expertise. This right-banked Bordeaux blend contains 80% Merlot, dignifying it with a ruby lustre and mirroring the aesthetic of Pomerol's grand terroir. Following a harvest with rigorous selection, the grapes ferment in concrete vats leading to the birth of divine complexity and character.

The 18-month oak barrel maturation process lends Canon Chaigneau 2011 robust notes of ripe dark fruit, balanced by fine, velvety tannins. Its aroma bursts with a fragrant blend of raspberries, sweet spices, and truffle undertones. With exquisite balance and length, the Canon Chaigneau 2011 reveals an impressive maturation potential, and its opulence will evolve admirable complexity over the years. It's a vintage that compels sages of the wine world to express profuse admiration.

Wine Spectator (93)

Offers a deliciously mouthwatering range of red currant, damson plum, blackberry and loganberry fruit, spiced with hints of black tea and cinnamon and backed by a long, briary, fine-grained finish. A sleek, refined wine that should age well. Best from 2016 through 2028. -JM

Wine Spectator (92-94)

Opulent red. Intense aromas of tar and dried herbs. Full-bodied, with currant bush character and very rich, velvety tannins. Long finish. Score range: 92-94

Wine Advocate (91)

There are 20,000 cases of the gorgeous 2003 Carruades de Lafite. Despite record heat in June, July and August, this wine only hit 12.8% alcohol, which seems modest compared to the higher alcohol levels of 2009 and 2010. A final blend of 50% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc has resulted in a second wine with a Lafite Rothschild-like character, plenty of creme de cassis, cedarwood and graphite notes as well as a supple, lush texture. It has reached full maturity where it should remain for another 5-10 years.